There’s always been something a bit off about Perry Palomino. Though she’s been dealing with a quarter-life crisis and post-college syndrome like any other twentysomething, she’s still not what you would call “ordinary.” For one thing, there’s her past which she likes to pretend never happened, and then there’s the fact that she sees ghosts. Luckily for her, that all comes in handy when she stumbles across Dex Foray, an eccentric producer for an upcoming webcast on ghost hunters. Even though the show’s budget is non-existent and Dex himself is a maddening enigma, Perry is instantly drawn into a world that both threatens her life and seduces her with a sense of importance. Her uncle’s haunted lighthouse provides the perfect catalyst and backdrop for a horrific mystery that unravels the threads of Perry’s fragile sanity and causes her to fall for a man, who, like the most dangerous of ghosts, may not be all that he seems.

The Experiment in Terror series is one I’ve been eyeing up for some time especially as Karina Halle is a must-buy author for so many of my friends. When the final book in the series was published recently I decided it was the perfect time to take the plunge. While DARKHOUSE wasn’t the best written book I’ve ever read I could glimpse real promise and it has left me eager to continue!

Perry is in her early twenties and having gone through some pretty dark stuff in her past, is now finally getting back on an even keel – apart from the fact that she might see ghosts that is… During a family trip to her uncle’s house, Perry goes exploring the old, decrepit lighthouse nearby. When some pretty scary things happen, the least of which is running into mysterious videographer Dex, Perry is officially freaked. When the footage of their paranormal hi-jinks goes viral, Dex convinces Perry to join forces for an online horror show exploring the weird and unexplained. Will this be yet another bad decision to add to her ever growing list or will Perry finally find the answers she didn’t even know she was looking for?

DARKHOUSE definitely had a slow start but towards the middle it really started to pick up. I loved Perry immediately, she was so down to earth and funny and while sometimes I wished she wasn’t quite so hard on herself and self-deprecating I could definitely relate. Dex on the other hand took a while to warm up to. I could definitely see little peeks into the charismatic guy I’ve heard so much about and I look forward to seeing how this pair’s dynamic develops. Another character who made an impression was Ada, Perry’s younger sister who likes to dispense hilarious advice and provides great support to her sister despite her snarky ways.

It’s been a while since I’ve read any horror and I loved how deliciously creepy this was. I love all things paranormal and unexplained and Halle really knows how to build suspense and up the scare factor.

DARKHOUSE definitely felt like a long introduction to the series rather than a story in its own right but honestly I think that worked in its favour as it teased just enough to make you want to continue.

Witty, intriguing with plenty of ghoulish goings-on to keep any horror fan happy, Darkhouse was a surprise hit!

books with slow starts totally turn me off because then i feel no motivation to continue but i’m glad that this one looked up as the story progressed, danielle! love the sound of ada and her snarkiness! they make the best characters.